


AU Meme: Silver

by thisbluespirit



Category: Doctor Who (1963), Sapphire and Steel
Genre: Alternate Universe, Ficlet, Gen, Request Meme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:09:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24168628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisbluespirit/pseuds/thisbluespirit
Summary: 10 AU scenarios for Silver written for a Dreamwidth meme.
Relationships: Liz Shaw (Doctor Who)/Silver (S&S), Sapphire & Silver & Steel (S&S)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 10





	AU Meme: Silver

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Persiflage](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Persiflage/gifts).



> Persiflage asked for Silver/Liz, but I realised later I'd already done Liz, and as Liadt and theseatheseatheopensea also suggested Silver, that's what I did. But I included as much bonus Liz as possible!

**Wild West**

Two spectators hung around the stage after the Amazing Mr Argent finished his last performance of the day.

“It’s showy,” said one of them, glaring at the ornate stage décor and curtain. “This is what he calls going undercover?”

“Ah, sheriff,” said Mr Argent, still wearing his glittering cloak. “I might have known you wouldn’t like my disguise. However, you’d be surprised how useful it can be.” He produced a wad of forged notes. “They call it sleight of hand. Now, would you like to know exactly whose pockets I found it in?” 

**Coffee Shop**

“Are you sure you’re an electrician?” said Miss Shaw, the coffee shop’s owner. Her so-called workman had arrived wearing a smart grey suit and sparkly waistcoat, and she’d been suspicious ever since. “Because my espresso machine is still not working.”

Silver slid fully out of the cupboard where the electrical controls were housed. “Oh, dear. You thought I was here about the espresso machine? I’m afraid I came about a far greater problem.”

“In my electric wiring?”

Silver pulled out a pair of pliers. “Yes. There’s a fault here that could have taken out the entire power grid if I hadn’t put a stop to it. Unfortunately, from your point, you could say I’ve made things worse.”

The lights buzzed and went out and every other electrical item in the shop fell silent.

“I think I would say that, yes!”

**Shapeshifters**

“Silver,” said the white Persian cat, stretching her paws, as she surveyed his new form, “charming as that is, mice rarely wear waistcoats on Earth.”

The mouse lifted its head, its whiskers twitching. “Are you sure? I checked the literature.”

“That can be misleading.”

“Oh.”

**Magic/Fairy Tale**

“You summoned me,” said the figure in the centre of the pentagram as it coalesced into a human form, pulling a grey robe with silver threads closer about it. “I was rather busy, so I hope you’ve got good reason.”

The magician’s novice pushed a strand of long red hair back from her face and put down her quill. “I didn’t know it would work. I just had to try.”

“Oh?”

She nodded. “I’ve always been fascinated by Elementals.”

**. . . In SPACE!!**

“Explain to me what you’re doing, turning up in the middle of my research station with no permits and not so much as a by-your-leave?”

Silver tore his attention away from the dome’s atmospheric controls for long enough to face Dr Shaw. “I’ll be delighted to try after I finish making sure that something else doesn’t come in after me. It would be far less pleasant than me, I assure you.”

**Historical**

The Organisation had existed for over three hundred years, its agents handing down the task of protecting the rest of the known world from enemies who were seeking its destruction in order to promote what they called the purity of chaos.

Steel knew that they had to do whatever was necessary in order to complete each mission. He accepted that. He even allowed Sapphire to work with him, despite the impropriety of her being female. She had a light touch and innate instincts that were invaluable.

There were however, limits.

“I am not,” he said, “calling in an alchemist again. You know what they’re like.”

A shadow fell over him as someone entered through the doorway behind him. “I’m overcome by the welcome, Steel. Now, what seems to be the trouble and how can I help? A spot of transmutation or just a plain old explosion?”

“As long as it doesn’t involve astrology.”

“Everything involves astrology. Even you should know that, Steel.”

**Canon Divergence**

The three of them stared out the café’s window into the impossible emptiness of space.

Steel swung back to grab the travel chess box. “I’ll get us out of here.”

Sapphire shivered. “I saw the future. Our future.”

“Steel,” said Silver, moving across to him. He held out his hand. “Give me that. I have an idea…”

**Crime/Detectives**

“You should have called me in sooner. This requires an expert’s touch,” Silver said, settling himself down beside the grandmother clock. “Now…” His voice trailed away as he opened the front and examined its innards. “Aha, yes. It’s a replica. A very good one, but certainly not worth anything like £40,000.” He lifted his head up to smile at the Fraud Department’s finest. “I think you can safely make an arrest now, Steel.”

**Supernatural**

“My lab is not haunted,” said Professor Shaw. “Yes, some of the undergrads have a joke about ghosts upsetting their experiments, but that’s just undergrads for you.”

Silver crawled under the workbench. “In the normal way, I’d be inclined to agree with you, but did you know this place was built over an old plague pit?”

“Oh, come on,” said Liz. “Who are you? Who let you in here?”

Silver edged back out again. He sat on the floor, patting the pockets of his three piece suit, searching for something. “Oh, yes. Here you are – my card.”

Liz looked at it. _Elemental Operatives_ , it read. _Expert paranormal investigators, equipped to deal with all your supernatural problems_. A lot of letters followed after that she felt sure wouldn’t amount to an actual degree of any kind. She tossed it down onto the workbench with a snort. “I’m calling security.”

A mist rose up from the floorboards, shaping itself into a giant skull and Liz turned back as she felt the air in the room turn to ice.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” said Silver, suddenly standing beside her. “In fact, I’d say our little organisation is your only hope if you want to get out of here alive and whole.”

Liz found it hard to argue for once.

**Romance Novel**

“I’m fairly certain I never sent for a mail order husband,” said Liz. “You must have the wrong number.”

Silver’s face fell. “Ah,” he said. “Yes, I must have. May I come in? You may be able to help me. It’s regarding the case of a thoroughly questionable online dating website. I’m not in fact a commodity on offer online; that was my cover story. I’m here investigating the matter, and _somebody_ gave this address. I’d like to know why.”

“I’m not sure which of those things is actually less believable, but I suppose you can come in while I decide.”


End file.
